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Rockies select contract of RHP Roy Oswalt

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DENVER – The Colorado Rockies announced today that the club selected the contract right-handed pitcher Roy Oswalt from Double-A Tulsa. To make room on the active roster, the Rockies optioned left-handed pitcher Jeff Francis to Triple-A Colorado Springs. To make room on the 40-man roster for Oswalt, the Rockies designated right-handed pitcher Chris Volstad for assignment. Oswalt (#44) will start tonight’s Rockies at Nationals game at National Park (5:05 p.m. MDT).

Oswalt, 35, is joining his fourth Major League team in Colorado, having previously played for Houston (2001-2010), Philadelphia (2010-11) and Texas (2012). In 356 career Major League games/335 starts, Oswalt is 163-96 with a 3.28 ERA (2213.0 ip, 807 er), 511 walks and 1,818 strikeouts. Oswalt’s 163 career victories are the 9th-most among active Major League pitchers. The Kosciusko, MS native made five starts for Double-A Tulsa prior to his contract being selected, going 3-2 with a 2.16 ERA (33.1 ip, 10 er), 7 walks and 25 strikeouts.

Francis, 32, has made 11 starts in the Majors for the Rockies this season, going 2-5 with a 6.58 ERA (52.0 ip, 38 er), 17 walks and 43 strikeouts. Francis is a veteran of nine Major League seasons with Colorado (2004-2010, 2012-13) and Kansas City (2011), going 69-78 with a 4.93 ERA (1230.2 ip, 674 er), 365 walks and 813 strikeouts. Francis was re-signed by Colorado during the offseason, who originally selected the left-hander in the first round (9th overall) of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft.

Volstad, 26, has made six relief appearances for the Rockies this season, going 0-0 with a 10.80 ERA (8.1 ip, 10 er). He has spent the balance of the 2013 season at Triple-A Colorado Springs where he has gone 4-1 with a 4.79 ERA (47.0 ip, 25 er) in 10 games/nine starts for the Sky Sox. Volstad has pitched in the Major Leagues in each of the last six seasons with Florida (2008-11), the Chicago Cubs (2012) and Colorado (2013). The Palm Beach Gardens, FL native is 35-51 with a 4.94 ERA (703.2 ip, 386 er) in 130 games/123 starts in the Majors.